After that incident my rose colored glasses were removed forever. I thought that having my gay best friend was just as normal as having a straight best friend. Ignorance is bliss to a sixteen year old girl who had no idea how hateful the world we live in truly is. After that night I walked with caution and the fear of being beat up for being a “fag hag”. One night, two boys, and years of hatred showed me how truly difficult Joseph’s life would be just because he was gay.

Many people in the world have been taught so many things about homosexuality. People always assume that the values instilled in them by their parents, are the right ones. It’s funny how we learn so fast the negative and take so long to learn the positives in life. Believe it or not, what your pa

rents taught you may not always be correct. In fact studies prove that parents have a huge influence. “Studies suggest that children of accepting parents may be more tolerant overall” (Larsen, Reed, and Hoffman pg. 247).

Many people are ignorant to the fact that there are hate crimes that involve homosexuals. When people hear the phrase “hate crime” they often think of a racial issue. However, for myself I think of many different things. I recall back to the night that I watched my best friend get beat up. I recall the horrible death of Matthew Shepard.

Is it human nature to hate? I have always been the type to think that everyone has a pure heart when they are born, and the world shapes it as they grow older. The way that people are raised, and in the environment that they were raised, play such a large role in the way they view things such as homosexuality.

I have recently viewed a movie titled “Boys Don’t Cry”. The movie was based on a lesbian who was shot and killed because of her sexuality. It took place right here in Nebraska. These kids were the type that were raised to believe that homosexuals were wrong. They ended up killing a girl because the only thing they knew of, sexually, was being challenged. It truly showed me how closed minded the world we live in is. (Boys Don’t Cry 1999).

“My parents are hard core Catholics. I was raised to believe that Catholic boys married Catholic girls, and the rest of you were sinners. I can’t help but sort of resent gays.” (Sattler 2003

Some topics in this essay:
Missouri Laughing, Reed Hoffman, Matthew Shepard’s, Don’t Cry, Foley Morrison, Don’t Cry”, Matthew Shepard, Anne Hesh, , homosexuals people, scroggins 2003, raised believe, “faggot” “homo”, hate crime, matthew shepard, friend beat, world live, hate crimes, world homosexuals,